Every business needs a website – that much is undisputed. But for a small business or recent startup, an all-singing all-dancing site might not be viable straight away. For businesses with limited time and budget, a simple portfolio site will do the job if it has these three important features.

1) Responsive Design*

Responsive design is a must, especially for local businesses. Internet users on mobile devices now outnumber those on desktops, and 30% of people looking for services locally are using smartphones. If your site doesn’t load quickly and correctly on their device, your customers will go to a competing site that does.

2) Social Media Links

30% of time online is spent on social media. Take advantage by including social media links on your website that make it easy for people to share your content. People who follow you on social media are almost twice as likely to use your services than those who don’t – and anyone sharing your site is advertising your business for free. People are 70% more likely to use a service that their friends have shared.

3) Call to Action

To make your site work as a marketing tool, it must be clear what you want your visitors to do. By including a prominent call to action such as ‘Call Us’, ‘Shop Now’ or ‘Visit Us’, you will turn visitors into customers.

If your website is missing one or more of these three things, it isn’t doing its job, and it’s time to make changes. And in if not now, when?

*A responsive website is one that works on all devices, including mobiles, tablets and desktops